PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Lodi

Publications and source records attributed to M Lodi.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Prevalence of anti-cardiolipin, anti-beta2 glycoprotein I, and anti-prothrombin antibodies in young patients with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: To measure anti-cardiolipin (aCL), anti-beta2 glycoprotein I (anti-beta2GPI), and anti-prothrombin (aPT) antibodies in young patients with epilepsy, and to correlate their presence with demographic data, clinical diagnoses, laboratory and neuroradiologic findings, and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). METHODS: Sera from one hundred forty-two consecutive patients with epilepsy with a median age of 10 years were tested for aCL and anti-beta2GPI autoantibodies by solid-phase assays. aPT antibodies also were assayed in sera from 90 patients. Positive results were confirmed after a minimum of 6 weeks. Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) and antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens (ENAs) also were tested. RESULTS: An overall positivity of 41 (28.8%) of 142 sera was found. Fifteen patients were positive for aCL, 25 for anti-beta2GPI, and 18 for aPT antibodies. Several patients (12%) displayed more than one specificity in their serum. Only one of these patients had a concurrent positivity for ANAs and ENAs. A predominance of younger patients was found in the antibody-positive group. All types of epilepsy were represented in the positive group. No relation between antibody positivity and AEDs was found. Diffuse ischemic lesions at computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were present in higher percentages in patients who were antibody positive. No positive patient had a history of previous thrombosis or other features related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and no patient was born of a mother with SLE. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests a relation between epilepsy and aPL in young patients. A pathogenetic role for these autoantibodies cannot be excluded, and their determination might prove useful even from a therapeutic point of view.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Acute presentation of Tangier polyneuropathy: a clinical and morphological study.

We describe a patient with Tangier disease and a peripheral neuropathy with an unusual acute onset. The morphological studies of sural nerve biopsy revealed both axonal degeneration and demyelination, and the fiber loss was preferentially restricted to two of ten nerve fascicles. The cytoplasm of Schwann cells, fibroblasts, macrophages and pericytes were vacuolated because of the presence of numerous lipid droplets. The clinical and morphological findings are consistent with the possibility that ischemia plays a major role in causing this neuropathy.

Female↗
PubMed1992

Effect of chronic treatment with recombinant interleukin-2 on the central nervous system of adult and old mice.

We have studied the effects of chronic treatment with recombinant interleukin-2 on the central nervous system of adult and old mice. Treatment with high doses of recombinant interleukin-2, on a schedule similar to that used in humans, was started at the age of 4 and 17 months, respectively, and ended 3 months later. At that time, all the mice were tested for acquisition of a passive-avoidance task and then sacrificed for histological examination. Three of the four groups (treated and control adults and control old mice) did not differ from one another in task performance or neuron density in frontal cortex, cerebellum, dentate gyrus or CA1-2, CA3, CA4 hippocampal areas. The old treated mice were unique in showing impairment of the mnesic functions and marked neuronal cell loss and degenerative changes limited to the hippocampal regions. Immunohistochemical studies did not show any significant amount of immunoglobulins in affected areas. Our results suggest that in old mice the impairment of the mnesic functions after recombinant interleukin-2 administration is due to hippocampal neuronal damage.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

[Echo-guided biopsy in peripheral pulmonary lesions. Our experience].

Twenty-nine patients with peripheral intrathoracic lesions underwent real-time US and US-guided biopsy. The lesions were mainly atypical fluid collections in 3 patients and mainly solid in the extant 26. Biopsies performed with fine aspirating or cutting needles (20-22 gauge) were successful in all patients; an unquestionable diagnosis was made in 27 cases with cytology and/or histology. Only one patient experienced mild asymptomatic pneumothorax after biopsy, which did not require chest-tube drainage. The authors stress the important diagnostic role of US-guided fine-needle biopsy as an useful and safe method for the evaluation of peripheral intrathoracic lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Leukocyte adherence inhibition test in lung cancer immunodiagnostic detection.

The leukocyte adherence inhibition test (LAI) was used to study the cellular reactivity in 119 subjects: 48 were affected by lung cancer, 41 by non-malignant lung diseases, 10 by non-lung cancers and 20 were healthy volunteers. The LAI test is based on the observation that leukocytes do not adhere to glass when in the presence of an antigen against which a sensitization exists. Test selectivity was checked by the suppression technique: suppressed cells lose their competence to an antigen when incubated with it before testing. Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and bronchioloalveolar cells (BACs) were used. While controls showed no reactivity to lung cancer extracts, early cancer patients showed the highest reactivity and active cavitary tuberculosis patients gave false positive results. The blocking assay showed that patients with tuberculosis were sensitized to normal lung extracts. In lung cancer patients the blocking assay showed that a selective reactivity exists to cancer extracts derived from a histologically homologous cancer specimen.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Laboratory findings in acute mesenteric infarction.

A study on the preoperative data of 16 patients with acute mesenteric infarction and the comparison to the pre-operative data of two homogenous groups is reported. The first group includes 11 patients with intestinal necrosis from venous obstruction and the second group includes 10 patients, with mechanical bowel obstruction. From the statistical analysis of the obtained data and the review of current literature it seems possible to obtain a useful differential diagnosis.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1988

False positive diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma based on bronchoscopic brushing and sputum cytology. A surgical point of view.

The problem of false positive diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma based on bronchoscopic brushing and sputum cytology is analysed. 1071 patients were reviewed, 230 of whom underwent "radical" resection. Diagnoses obtained from bronchoscopic brushing, sputum cytology and microscopic examination of surgical specimens were compared. The statistical analysis of the obtained results showed that "false positives" should be thoroughly evaluated. The concept of cancer in situ and the hypothesis of a multi-step evolution of bronchogenic carcinoma are briefly discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Detection and measurement of a cellular immune-reactivity towards polyester and polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Leukocyte adherence inhibition test.

Several studies were performed on polyester (Dacron) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vascular substitute thrombogenicity. However, to date, the host-graft interactions have yet to be studied from an immunological point of view. For this reason, 4 classes of 10 patients each (Class 1: Dacron-+PTFE-grafted patients, Class 2: Dacron-, Class 3: PTFE-, and Class 4: controls) were submitted to a cellular immune-reactivity test: leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI), in which leukocytes fail to adhere to glass on contact with a sensitizing antigen. The following blood cell populations were used: total leukocytes (PBL), mononuclear cells (MNC), T and B lymphocytes. This research demonstrated that a T cellular immune-reactivity towards Dacron and PTFE respectively occurs in Dacron- and PTFE-grafted patients, and that this reactivity is greater in the case of Dacron. More studies are required to determine the immuno-competent system role in fabric prosthesis patency.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Trends in tuberculosis in the Ferrara region 1984-1987].

The Authors investigate some epidemiologic aspects of the patients affected by Tuberculosis in Ferrara's area, during 1984-1987. The patients with Tuberculosis and submitted to this study were singled out using documents from: Chair and Department of Respiratory Diseases, University of Ferrara School of Medicine, Tresigallo Hospital; Pneumology and Occupational Medicine Service, USL 31, Ferrara; TBC Assistance Bureau, INPS, Ferrara. A total of 563 "cases" of Tuberculosis were recognized; of them, 138 had a relapse of a previous disease, 27 had multiple and contemporary diseases, and 18 had different types of Tuberculosis in various periods of the study. The analysis of the data shows that Tuberculosis is still present in our area, in some cases with clinical features of aggressiveness. In relation to sex and age, a significant increase of Tuberculosis in females during 1986-87, and a significant amount of young patients, were observed. Moreover, a significant rise of extrapulmonary forms, particularly in females, was stressed as well as the onset of primary Tuberculosis during 1987. The very important problem of bacillar spread, and its implication with a report of Tuberculosis in food-stuff sellers and health-staff, are finally discussed. The Authors' conclusion's the following: a more active epidemiologic surveillance of Tuberculosis is still required.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Biomaterials and immune system: cellular reactivity towards PTFE and Dacron vascular substitutes pointed out by the leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) test.

Thirty-eight patients affected by peripheral vascular insufficiency, and twelve healthy volunteers, were submitted to a cellular immunity test: LAI test, in which leukocytes fail to adhere to glass in contact with a sensitizing antigen. Patients were divided as follows: Class 1: Dacron+PTFE grafted patients, Class 2: Dacron, Class 3: PTFE, Class 4: controls. Total leukocytes, mononuclear cells, T and B lymphocytes were used as cellular populations. Finely minced Dacron and PTFE fabric vascular prostheses were employed as targets. This research showed that a T cellular immune-reactivity towards Dacron and PTFE respectively occurs in Dacron and PTFE grafted patients, and that reactivity is greater in case of Dacron. Wider researches are required to state the immune system role in fabric prostheses patency; at this regard, must be kept in mind that T lymphocytes release thrombogenic factors in course of cellular immune response.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Peripheral neuropathy in scleroderma.

Nervous system involvement is rare in progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). We present a clinical pathological and immunological study of two patients with peripheral sensory motor neuropathy and PSS. In both, the sural nerve biopsies showed axonal degeneration with increased endoneurial connective tissue. There were also clusters of myelinated fibres indicating axonal regeneration. Only mild microangiopathic changes were evident in the endo, peri and epineurial vessels. By Western immunoblots, patients' sera contained a band of reactivity to a protein from peripheral nerve identified as collagen type I. Primary involvement of the peripheral nerves during PSS is very unusual. Abnormal production of collagen tissue and presence of microvascular disease are considered to be two possible causes of neuropathy. We think that our results suggest the important role of the connective tissue proliferation in the pathogenesis of PSS neuropathy.

Adult↗